‘Short Circuit’ Latinx Remake in Development at Spyglass Media

Spyglass Media Group is developing a Latinx remake of the 1986 sci-fi comedy “Short Circuit.”

The original “Short Circuit,” starring Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg and Fisher Stevens, sees the military develop prototype robots called S.A.I.N.T. (Strategic Artificially Intelligent Nuclear Transport) and one of the units is struck by lightning, which makes it sentient. The robot escapes and is found by Sheedy’s Stephanie Speck, an animal care-giver, who mistakes him for an alien.

The company has hired the writing team of Eduardo Cisneros and Jason Shuman to bring Latinx elements into the project. Cisneros co-wrote the 2013 Mexican comedy “Instructions Not Included,” which was directed by and starred Eugenio Derbez. Cisneros and Shuman wrote the screenplay for the upcoming comedy “Half Brothers,” in which a Mexican aviation exec is shocked to learn he has an American half-brother he never knew about.

The original “Short Circuit” was directed by John Badham with David Foster and Lawrence Turman producing. It was distributed by TriStar and generated $40 million at the box office on a $15 million budget. A 1988 sequel starred Stevens earned $21 million.

Project X Entertainment’s James Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein and William Sherak will produce the untitled remake. Rehab Entertainment’s John W. Hyde, who executive produced the original film, will also exec produce the remake alongside Terissa Kelton. Peter Oillataguerre and Chris Stone will oversee for Spyglass.

Spyglass and Project X are currently in production on a reboot of “Scream” with Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette returning for a 2022 release. Cisneros and Shuman are both repped by attorney Allen Vainshtein of McKuin Frankel, and Cisneros is managed by Carlos Bobadilla of Valor Entertainment Group. Shuman is repped by CAA and managed by Jon Huddle of Fourth Wall Management. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.